Most people don’t want to be compared to lemmings because they are often accused of going over a cllff in a mass suicide attempt. This disservice to the furry creatures came to us via Disney who created a nature documentary, White Wilderness (1958), in which, the producer had a pack of lemmings herded over the cliff because he thought it made for exciting television. Unfortunately, this is all people remember about the lemming.

They’re a migratory creature that makes them a traveler and able to transition well. Sometimes, the huge mass migration that sometimes occurs can force a lemming into traveling with the group, which leads to the behavior of going along with the group. A lemming may appear in your life when you need to examine your tendency to go with the group, maybe it’s time to take a different route.

Ironically, even though lemmings are often characterized as running as a pack, they are rather solitary contenting themselves to gnaw shoots and roots until mating season. The instinct that brings them out to migrate must be equivalent to the humans packing shopping centers right after Thanksgiving. Neither behavior makes sense.As a solitary creature, it demonstrates independence, quick thinking, and ingenuity. A lemming person will tend to be more of an introvert and value their reflective periods.

Lemmings are a bit of mystery since scientists can’t explain the reason behind their populations booms and drops. Many animal species demonstrate the ability to withhold sperm/or forgo mating in leans years, waiting until there is enough food to support offspring. In this way, a lemming teaches us to make good use of resources and to consider the consequences of our actions.​Next time, you feel the need to ridicule someone for their mindless herd mentality, don’t compare them to a lemming.